Cadbury

A big positive for TAT that these tourists will be bringing 27 trillion baht with them.
No mention of what less appealing things they will be bringing with them like the trillion tonnes of human waste which will impose further stresses on the already failing and inadequate sewage systems. 

As always in Thailand it is all about money, money, money.

No one seems to care a stuff about anything else.

https://www.gogoflorist.com/blog/2012/07/thailand-sewage-treatment-wastewater/

9 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

'"Tony" said he intends to fight the case and will turn himself in shortly'

 

Fight what? You've been caught bang to rights on CCTV. Do you mean you'll come up with some childish and snowflake excuse of how you were justified in shooting 'cos you lost face?

The fact that Tony rather than the police decides when he will turn himself in suggests that a financial consideration for a short term reprieve has been made. That will probably allow time for the CCTV tape to be "lost", witnesses intimidated, weaponry disposed of, threats made and implausible excuses thought up. 

49 minutes ago, JAG said:

It took at least 18 coppers (photo) to give a security brief?

To justify a gourmet seafood buffet lunch a minimum of 18 participants is required.

4 hours ago, jerojero said:

I'm no fan of the PM, but it's Trump who's the real clown. And it ought to be interesting conversation considering neither knows much about international issues, and less about each other's country.

Trump might be the clown as you say but he is the President of the United States. Which is more than you are!

7 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

I am surprised to see it go this far. Generally they crack down to show who's boss and then they allow things to recover. There must be some real conflict between the uniforms and the sellers. It can't be about piracy and copyright issues. Fake stuff is available everywhere.

You're quite right.

Maybe it has something to do with the thickness of the envelope.

27 minutes ago, steven100 said:

It's sad that you choose to stay in a place when all one see's is negativity

But steven100, some might see it as reality.

Yes Trump did call him. He called him to reaffirm that the US was intending to critically review it's trading agreements with Asian countries including Thailand. That review will no doubt include the balance of trade between the two countries and duties and taxes charged on US imported goods.

Nonetheless in the spirit of goodwill he will probably invite PM Prayut down to Camp David for a round of golf. Prayut might need to get in a bit of putting and driving practice. Trump plays off a four handicap so he should expect a lot of Thai swearing, cursing and club throwing from Mr Grumpy.

Trump may also be evaluating the strengths of PM Prayut and look for tips on how to clean up the footpaths, reduce the road toll, how prostitution can boost the economy and how to improve the US education system. PM Prayut might even be asked for advice how to set up a daily fitness program for White House staff.

I wish PM Prayut a successful trip. He will need all the luck he can get so he better pack his favourite amulets.

14 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

Why not a red notice?

The PM has vetoed that.

4 hours ago, Tanlic said:

Sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! everybody walks in Thailand there's no one in the jails here it's all a myth........The Police love wasting their working their butts off just to say ok guys you can go now.

 

If Thailand was remotely like you seem to think it is we'd all be robbed and murdered by now.....why not? no one goes to jail according to you

I sorrowfully add you to the misguided believers of the quality of the RTP.

"The Police working their butts off". Hard work putting in the hours on their smart phones, collecting "insurance" envelopes every month and trying to cover all bases with the missus and the mia nois.  

Same people saying the same old thing about Thai road safety knowing all the time that nothing will change. Broken record stuff.

Give up! Nothing is going to change and you know it.

12 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Come on, Mr PM. Show us your power and set a huge example by flexing you article 44 muscles. No? I'll just get on with my life as if nothing here ever changed after the coup, then. 

One could be forgiven for thinking Boss Boy has the PM in his pocket.

6 hours ago, hansnl said:

HAS BEEN.

That means in the past.

So no problem, I presume?

I was only quoting what Mr Academia said. " ....has often been...".  No doubt he was choosing his words carefully to try to ensure no one came a-knocking on his door in the middle of the night. 

Has been - still is - will continue to be.  Take your pick. I have no problems with any of those.

And presumably from your comments you believe what he says that Thailand's corruption is all in the past. As from yesterday, anyway when Customs officials were sprung for being complicit in allowing buyers of stolen vehicles to avoid custom duties.

You wouldn't be a government official by any chance would you. 

5 hours ago, halloween said:

And where is their coal coming from ? Australia, which refuses to build coal fired power stations preferring billion dollar solar stations that produce close to SFA, but will sell coal and gas to anyone who can pay for it. Meanwhile the price of electricity there continues to soar. 

Correct again. Australia is fast becoming a basket case.

One can confidently predict that TAT's Online Tourism Club will be as smooth running as Immigration's 90 Day Online Reporting Club.

19 hours ago, halloween said:

If Thailand completely stopped using fossil fuels tomorrow, would climate change stop, or even slow appreciably?

No. China and India are two countries building coal fired power stations by the hundreds. At least they are producing carbon dioxide essential for plant life which ultimately supports animal life; which happens to include humans.

In any cased the world will continue as it wants regardless of what people might try to do to change things.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

'....the government’s budget, which has often been the source of widespread corruption and wasteful spending of public money". 

Looks like Sasatra Sudsawasd and some of his colleagues might be new participants at the government's re-education programme.

In any case there is more than 19 years to go before the end of corruption in Thailand according one of the many rash promises made by the PM.

Abhisit may be a fine man but there is only one leader in Thailand and that is PM Prayut. When he is the mood to talk to the media he will remind you; just in case you are uncertain.

The Customs Department is throwing down a serious challenge for second place on the corruption ladder. Now a tight struggle between the Education Sector and the Customs  Sector. The one with the second biggest envelope wins. No cigars for guessing who holds top place.

8 hours ago, USPatriot said:

And its 4 dollars for a pound. Unless you want to buy 50 pounds. Its not the farmers making the money. If I remember right China is the biggest buyer if thai rice

Yes and China is the biggest producer of rice.

There is no decreasing supply of rice on the global market. There is a decreasing supply of Thai rice on the global market. All that Thailand seems to have on offer is rotting rice in storage.

Thailand has slipped down the scale on rice production and Vietnam and India are up their with the biggest producers. Jasmine rice will always be a favourite but it is quantity and price of rice for everyday consumption that leads the way. 

Last month I travelled west of Udon Thani and saw for myself the preponderence of neglected rice paddies.

Can't blame the rice growers. The middle men and others on the dark side seem to be sucking the life blood out of the rice industry which is par for the course in Thailand.

There are Debt Clinics all over the country. They go under the name  of Loan Sharks.

In this story it seems Sukhumvit Asset Management has a serious interest in attracting bad debtors through their doors.

Quoted from a story some years back. "SAM is one of the asset management firms allowed to sell the bad loans and assets of defunct finance firms and debtors on behalf of FIDF" . FIDA is The Financial Institutions Development Fund  which is publicised as a "lender of last resort". 

It appears SAM are also legal lenders of "last resort" and as they say with any loan restructuring the "major problems were the (in)ability to repay debts, insufficient income or have no permanent income".

There may be more than meets the eye with this seemingly benevolent agency, Asset acquisition, I suspect, is the driving force.

Obviously their families are a bit short on big money otherwise their penalty instead of death or incarceration would be three months voluntary work in a hospital at of time of their own convenience.

In Thailand justice and money are closely intertwined.

sorry posted under wrong heading

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He asked the media to work hand in hand with the government

I thought it was only yesterday he told the media to rack off. Is this now a suck up?

The PM maintaining his exclusive right (issued under Article 44) to flip-flop on just about every decision he makes including dates of elections.

No doubt a well intentioned survey that was conducted by the Mahidol University (refer Thai academia BS jargon "Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey".

However the story itself seems more to do with the Thailand UNICEF representatives trying to justify their well paid jobs.

17 hours ago, webfact said:

“I have been attacked for so long. Is that fair to me?”

Mr Grumpy upset because everyone is picking on him. Reminds me of children in a school playground. Maturity seems to elude many Thai men.

The Japanese will be rapped with that idea. As soon as the military junta took power in 2014. Japanese investments dropped by about 85%.

Maybe the PM's personal charm and bonhomie will win the day and the Japanese will come rushing back to the fold happy in the knowledge that they will only ever own 49% of their 100% investment.

My guess is the Japanese are well aware of the Australian company that had their gold mine stolen from them.

The Japanese are very principled business people. That might not fit well with the Thai government.